Ex-Trump lawyer Michael Cohen discussing plea deal with prosecutors

[fleur-de-lisa]

Source: NBC News

Michael Cohen, President Trump's former personal attorney, is discussing a possible guilty plea with federal prosecutors in Manhattan in connection with tax fraud and banking related matters, multiple sources familiar with the matter tell NBC News.

Those sources stress no deal has been reached but do say the potential deal could be reached as early as today.

The plea could have significant implications for Trump, who has blasted Cohen ever since his former fixer and his attorney, old Clinton hand Lanny Davis, began signaling this summer that Cohen might cooperate with special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation.

When reached by NBC, Davis said he cannot comment on advice of counsel since there is an ongoing investigation.



Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/ncna902571?__twitter_impression=true

[Leghorn21]

1. Bring it on HOME

Today is A GOOD DAY TO DO THE RIGHT THING, COHEN

[Julian Englis]

2. tRump Tweet Tantrum 🤮 soon to follow.... n/t

[BumRushDaShow]

3. The issue here though

is that Cohen is not be tried by Mueller's folks but by SDNY. So not sure if a plea deal is being set up to be more for them netting some of the other corrupt underworld folks in NYC vs what may be related directly to Drumpf. Of course whatever they have gathered in that venue could (would) be useful for Mueller but perhaps in a very narrow fashion.

[FakeNoose]

4. They all report to Rod Rosenstein though

Am I right? These trials are all under the DoJ umbrella and Sessions is recused, so they all go to Rosenstein.

It's not the State of NY that will try this case, but the federal attorneys that are based in New York (Southern District NY). I think this means that Mueller would have some input. They probably would like to consult with him on certain things, and Rosenstein too. Whatever useful information they get from Cohen will certainly be passed along to Mueller, that's a given. A lot of the initial discovery was done by Mueller's investigation team.

[BumRushDaShow]

5. Not really

Rosenstein is only "in charge" in DOJ for anything to do with "Russian collusion" (or equivalent). This case with Cohen isn't really about that per se until the charges finally come about (which is why it was handed off) and we see if they do parlay any charges that relates to that. And yeah, I used to work for the federal government so I know it's not the state doing the investigation in this case BUT it is under the SDNY jurisdication geographically, so that is what they focus on - basically NYC and the immediate 'burbs. I.e., you are not going to have SDNY investigating something here in the Philly area (i.e., EDPA = Eastern District of Pennsylvania).

From what I recall from a panel on MSNBC last week from someone who used to work in there, they do "share" info as needed across cases, but given all the material that they had to go through with Cohen's case, it will be interesting to see where they decide to focus.

[mobeau69]

7. If a deal is reached it will be a Global one.

All of the jurisdictions will get together and agree to a single deal. The more he has to offer, the better the deal he can expect.

[BumRushDaShow]

9. That's the only way I can see it happening

where HE would have to be willing to completely spill his guts on everything. But even then, I doubt his case could be boiled down to a "lying to the FBI" charge as a deal, like a Papadopoulos.

[mobeau69]

10. Oh, he'll do some serious time.

[beachbum bob]

6. Seems like wishful thinking with unnamed sources again

[ehrnst]

8. Barricades being set up outside of Manhattan Federal Courthouse at noon today:

Link to tweet

Barricades were just put up outside the Manhattan federal courthouse at 500 Pearl Street

[NewJeffCT]

11. Just imagine what Trump will tweet about

if Cohen flips today and the Manafort jury comes back with guilty on 17 or 18 counts today as well.

Can one tweet while having a stroke?